Introduction to Speech Note
Overview
Speech Note is a versatile Linux desktop and Sailfish OS application designed for note-taking, reading, and translating functionalities. What sets this app apart is its ability to perform these tasks offline, harnessing the power of Speech to Text (STT), Text to Speech (TTS), and Machine Translation (MT) technologies. This means users can enjoy speech recognition, text-to-speech conversion, and language translation without needing an internet connection, ensuring privacy by keeping all operations local to the device.
Features
Languages and Models
Speech Note supports a wide array of languages through various sophisticated models, ensuring robust performance in different tasks like speech recognition and text-to-speech conversion. Some supported languages include English, Chinese, Arabic, German, and many others, covering a broad spectrum of global dialects and scripts. The app employs multiple engines to enhance accuracy and versatility in its language processing capabilities.
Technologies Utilized
Speech Note integrates multiple cutting-edge technologies to achieve its functionalities:
- Speech to Text (STT): It employs engines such as Coqui STT (a derivative of Mozilla DeepSpeech), Vosk, Whisper, and Faster Whisper to convert spoken words into written text.
- Text to Speech (TTS): The app uses engines like espeak-ng, MBROLA, Piper, and Coqui TTS to convert written text into spoken words.
- Machine Translation (MT): For translating text between languages, Speech Note utilizes the Bergamot Translator, which is capable of performing translations offline.
Installation
For Linux Users
Linux users can easily install Speech Note via Flathub using Flatpak. There are also specific packages available for Arch Linux users within the Arch User Repository (AUR), namely dsnote and dsnote-git.
For Sailfish OS Users
Sailish OS users can find Speech Note on OpenRepos, where it can be downloaded and installed conveniently.
Package Options
Speech Note is available in multiple package forms to cater to various user needs:
- Base Package: This comprehensive version includes all dependencies required to access every feature of the application.
- Tiny Package: A lighter version that covers only the essential features, suitable for users who don't require the full capabilities.
- Add-ons for GPU Acceleration: These add-ons, specifically for AMD and NVIDIA GPUs, allow for faster performance by leveraging GPU acceleration.
Beta Version
For those interested in trying out the newest features ahead of official releases, Speech Note offers a beta version available through the "flathub-beta" repository. While these versions might have more bugs, they provide insight into upcoming enhancements.
Contributing and Building from Source
Speech Note welcomes contributions and offers detailed instructions for those interested in building the application from source. The source code can be built directly for Linux, or via Flatpak or Sailfish OS environments. This flexibility ensures that developers can contribute regardless of their operating system preferences.
Supporting and Feedback
Users and developers are encouraged to offer feedback and contribute to the improvement of Speech Note. Whether it's through submitting code, providing reviews, or supporting the project financially, there are several ways to participate in the Speech Note community.
Conclusion
Overall, Speech Note is a powerful tool for anyone needing reliable note-taking, reading, and translating capabilities without the need for internet access. With its broad language support and offline functionality, it is a perfect solution for users who prioritize privacy and versatility in their digital applications.